Soaring temperatures saw many Britons head to the beach in an effort to cool down.

It was too much for Yorkshire’s resident polar bears who took to a pond, and firefighters were out on Saddleworth Moor between Stalybridge and Dovestones tackling a vegetation fire which had spread overnight.

Polar bear Pixel took to the water at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Danny Lawson/PA)

With his friend Victor ready to shake off the soaring temperatures too (Danny Lawson/PA)

In Brighton, the beach was a popular spot to cool down (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The remains of Brighton Pier could be seen from the shore (Gareth Fuller/PA)

A reflection of the Port of Liverpool Building under blue skies (Peter Byrne/PA)

A family of lemurs enjoy an ice lolly at Yorkshire Wildlife Park as temperatures are predicted to increase this week (Danny Lawson/PA)

In Dorset, Boscombe Beach drew sunlovers (Andrew Matthews/PA)

With paddle-boarders taking to the waves (Andrew Matthews)

But others content to just soak up the sun (Andrew Matthews/PA)

The fountain in Chavasse Park in Liverpool proved popular (Peter Byrne/PA)

Dragonfly hover over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal (Peter Byrne/PA)

In north London the heat was too much for Zaphy, a 12-year-old Devon Rex cat, who found shelter underneath a deck chair (Yui Mok/PA)

The heat wasn’t welcomed by all, with firefighters battling a blaze at Tintwistle (Derbyshire Fire and Rescue/PA)

Dozens of firefighters were also tackling a blaze on moorland in Rivington, Lancashire (Derbyshire Fire and Rescue/PA)